{{short description|American baseball player (1921-2014)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Les Layton |position=Outfielder |image=Les Layton, LA Angels 1950.jpg |caption=Layton with the Los Angeles Angels |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date|1921|11|18}} |birth_place=Nardin, Oklahoma, United States |death_date={{Death date and age|2014|3|1|1921|11|18}} |death_place=Scottsdale, Arizona, United States |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=April 24 |debutyear=1948 |debutteam=New York Giants |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=October 3 |finalyear=1948 |finalteam=New York Giants |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.231 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=2 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=12 |teams= *New York Giants (1948) | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry | {{bb|USA}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Global World Series}} {{MedalGold| 1955 Milwaukee | Team}} }} '''Lester Lee Layton''' (November 18, 1921 – March 1, 2014)<ref>[http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/azcentral/obituary.aspx?n=lester-lee-layton&pid=170062402 Lester Lee Layton obituary]</ref> was an American professional baseball player. An outfielder whose pro career extended for 11 seasons (1944–1954), he appeared in 63 Major League Baseball games for the {{baseball year|1948}} New York Giants.
Layton was born in Nardin, Kay County, Oklahoma, and attended the University of Oklahoma. A right-handed batter and thrower, he stood {{convert|6|ft}} tall and weighed {{convert|165|lb}}. He signed with the Giants in 1944 and spent his first four seasons with the Jersey City Giants of the top-level International League. After batting .289 with 20 home runs for Jersey City in 1947,<ref>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=layton001les Minor league record] from Baseball Reference</ref> Layton made the 1948 varsity Giants' roster. In his first Major League at bat as a pinch hitter May 21 against the Chicago Cubs, Layton homered off Cubs' southpaw Johnny Schmitz.<ref>[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1948/B05210NY11948.htm Retrosheet]</ref> Used primarily as a pinch runner and pinch hitter by managers Mel Ott and Leo Durocher, Layton occasionally spelled corner outfielders Bobby Thomson and Willard Marshall.
He enjoyed his two biggest days as a Major League batsman in the mid-summer of 1948. On July 2, Layton cracked three hits (all singles) in five at bats against the Brooklyn Dodgers — two off Preacher Roe and one off Rex Barney — in a 6–4 Giant win at Ebbets Field.<ref>[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1948/B07020BRO1948.htm 1948-7-2 box score from Retrosheet]</ref> Then, three days later, Layton had a career-high four safeties (including two doubles) off Boston Braves' ace Johnny Sain in a 13-inning, 6–5 New York win at the Polo Grounds.<ref>[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1948/B07051NY11948.htm 1948-7-5 box score from Retrosheet]</ref>
During his Major League career, Layton collected 21 hits (including four doubles, four triples and two home runs) in 91 at bats. He returned to minor league baseball in 1949 and played six more seasons, including two productive years with the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League in 1950–1951.
==See also== *Home run in first Major League at-bat
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Baseballstats|br=l/laytole01}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Layton, Les}} Category:1921 births Category:2014 deaths Category:Baseball players from Oklahoma Category:Jersey City Giants players Category:Los Angeles Angels (minor league) players Category:Major League Baseball outfielders Category:Memphis Chickasaws players Category:Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players Category:New York Giants (baseball) players Category:Oklahoma Sooners baseball players Category:Shreveport Sports players Category:Wichita Indians players Category:People from Kay County, Oklahoma Category:20th-century American sportsmen